


A Matter of Faith

by Wallwalker



Category: Final Fantasy XIII
Genre: Gen, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-11-17
Updated: 2010-11-17
Packaged: 2017-10-13 06:14:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/133872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wallwalker/pseuds/Wallwalker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fang wasn't expecting anyone from Cocoon to try to match her. She wasn't expecting to meet anyone she could agree with, let alone work with. But she hadn't met anyone like Cid in a long time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Matter of Faith

The soldiers had kept Fang under watch the whole time she'd been on the Lindblum; there had been no fewer than five men watching her at all times, guns trained at her head. Nothing she couldn't handle, but still, she was curious. Why were they keeping her alive?

Everything had gone to hell in very short order after they'd discovered what was in that remnant. One minute she'd been asking around, looking for Vanille and wondering how it could possibly not be obvious that she wasn't from Cocoon; the next, they'd started rounding people up for some sort of purge. She'd tried to lay low, hoping to hide out and find Vanille after the rush had subsided, but these guys had found her first. She'd been expected to be sent out to the trains, though, not led at gunpoint to what looked like one of the nicer airships in this place.

She supposed that they thought it would intimidate her. Well, they were going to be disappointed. She'd seen far worse things. And the man with the dark hair who was walking up to her? Heh. Granted, he looked confident enough, but he was far too clean to be a proper warrior, like all of the so-called soldiers she'd run into. Maybe he was a slightly higher class than they were; there was something about his stance that set something deep inside of her on edge. He reminded Fang of something, although she could not for the life of her tell what it was. Probably just some stray memories from the war, she thought, as she waited for him to speak.

"So you're the one of the two l'Cie who have been causing trouble on Cocoon," he said as he approached her.

"Who wants to know?" she said, crossing her arms.

"My name is Cid Raines, Commander of the Cavalry." He nodded in greeting. He was obviously very foolish to approach her this way, or very brave. Probably both. "And if I may ask your name?"

"Fang," she said briefly. Her full name wasn't going to mean anything to this man anyway. He was far too soft; he didn't look as if he'd fought, _really_ fought, a day in his life. He'd probably been born to command, without having to endure the indignity of actual fighting. His men, though... some of them looked as if they'd seen some action. Like the scruffy one that had walked in behind him - he seemed to be a bit tougher.

He nodded. "Well, Fang, let me cut to the chase. We know who you are, and that you are not born of Cocoon. We know that you were one of the two responsible for the incident at Euride Gorge."

"Sounds like you know a lot," she said. "But can you prove it?"

Cid pulled something out of the pocket of his long coat and pointed it, and pressed the button. Fang tensed, ready to counterattack, only to see a still image projected in the air in front of her. It was blurred, but unmistakable - Fang herself striding confidently into the power station, with Vanille behind her, trying to stop her. She felt a pang in her chest - where was Vanille now? She must have been having a hard time of it, alone.... Fang knew it was her own fault that they'd been separated. She hoped that Vanille was all right.

"All right, then," she said after a moment. "So what do you want of me? Figured that if any of you military types caught me, you'd kill me on sight."

"Most of the other Sanctum forces would have done so," Cid said. "I had another reason to search you out. I had hoped to enlist your aid."

She blinked at him. "Excuse me?"

"You fight against the Cocoon fal'Cie, as do I. Let us fight them together."

Fang stared for a moment. "You want to..." Then she started laughing. "Oh, that is a good one!"

"I understand your incredulity, but I am being serious." Cid didn't even crack a smile. "The fal'Cie control Cocoon. They are strangling its people, making us dependent upon them. My men and I believe that it is time to bring down the Sanctum and its fal'Cie masters. Fight with us, and you will be fighting against your enemy. Is that not acceptable?"

She didn't stop laughing right away; it took a few more seconds. Finally, wiping the tears out of her eyes, she managed to right herself. "You really think you can bring down the fal'Cie?"

"With your help, perhaps we can."

"Flattery isn't going to get you anywhere," she said. "If you want my help, you'll have to fight me."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I thought I was clear. If you want my help, fight me. Show me you're braver than you look." Her smile twisted slightly. "I'll even even the playing field for you. No l'Cie magic. It's not fair if I'm hitting you with things you can't match, eh?"

"I see," he said, raising an eyebrow. He seemed almost amused. "I appreciate your sense of fair play." Then he shrugged off his coat and tossed it aside, although he still wore his long gloves. He was wearing a sword by his side, and drew it carefully. "Man-to-man combat, then. I won't risk my men's lives in this."

"You're braver than I expected." Fang readied her spear. She could see the men around her tense as she swung it around, brought it to bear on her opponent. "Or crazier."

"Given my goals," Cid commented dryly, "I suspect both are true."

"Don't do this, Commander," the long-haired man shouted behind them. "She'll kill you!"

"Rygdea," Cid answered, turning to look at him. "I must do whatever is necessary to win this woman over as an ally."

"She's a Pulsian! Haven't you read about the war? They're no better than wild beasts in combat!"

Fang snorted. "I'm not sure if I should be insulted or flattered," she said quietly, half-smiling. A few of the soldiers seemed to shudder; a few others seemed to aim a little more carefully. They'd kill her handily if they chose to fire on her, l'Cie or no.

"That's enough, Rygdea," Cid said evenly. "You trust my judgment, do you not?"

"I've trusted you for years," the man answered. "But I don't want to watch you be cut down for nothing-"

"If you've ever trusted in me before," Cid interrupted, "then trust me now. No man is to open fire unless I so order, or I am killed. Is that clear?"

Rygdea hesitated. She glanced at him, and could see the emotions warring in his face. This Commander Raines knew how to lead his men, obviously; the loyalty that he commanded was impressive to say the least. "Yes, sir," he finally answered, saluting.

"Very well, then." He turned back to Fang, falling into a defensive stance. "Are you ready?"

"Always." She smirked. "Let's do this."

The battle began with no further preamble.

Cid was skilled; Fang would give him that much. He knew what he was doing with his blade, and he had a perfect sense of timing. And he had something else, something that Fang had tried to describe before but had never quite been able to - he had a warrior's spirit, and the will to win the fights he started. It was the first time she'd seen it in any of the soldiers she'd run into in this god-forsaken place.

If Cid'd been fighting a lesser opponent, he might've won. But Fang had something that she was sure no one on Cocoon had. She had the instincts of a predator, honed to a razor's edge on the Archelyte Steppes; she didn't care about form or timing, except to the extend that it kept her alive. He was a better opponent than she'd expected, but he was still no match, and she had him disarmed in short order.

Fang did not speak again until the point of her spear is resting securely at his throat. "So you truly believe in this," she says, staring him down as she holds him at bay. "You would die for this."

His eyes were surprisingly fierce for someone that she could kill in a matter of half a second. "I would."

"Even if it meant that you'd never see your cause become a reality?"

"Yes," he said, his voice even. He was not the slightest bit rattled. For a moment, Fang wondered if this was the first time someone had forced him to his knees. "Even then."

Commander Raine's men were wavering; she could see it in their eyes. The scruffy one was trying to stay focused, but he was practically beside himself; he wasn't going to be able to relax until her spear was away from his commander's throat, one way or the other. She was going to have time for one more question, if she was right; she needed to make it count. "Why would that be worth it?"

"There are more important things than glory," Cid answered, with no hesitation. "Even if I die, if Cocoon can live free of the fal'Cie again, I will have no regrets. I have faith that the people will be able to find their way without me."

She smiled sourly at that. She remembered Oerba, remembered how they'd followed Anima's edicts until the end. Her rule had made Oerba prosperous, even if they had been less free. Would losing Anima really have made a difference? Or would it have sparked a bloody rebellion, until they found someone else to follow? "I'm not sure I do," she said, and withdrew her spear, putting it to rest. She could feel the relief in the air, even though the Cavalrymen did not lower their weapons. "Best be sure you survive."

Cid laughed dryly. "I intend to try," he said, as he stood up - quickly enough that Fang did not have the chance to offer him a hand. Not bad, she had to admit. Maybe there was more to him than she'd seen. "So you'll join us, Fang? You'll fight by our side?"

"You'll keep your promise about... about the others?" She would not say Vanille's name again. She needed to stand strong. Vanille herself would understand, she hoped, if she had been there.

"They will not be harmed, if it is within my power to keep them safe," he said. "I can make no promises about the rest of Cocoon, however."

"Wouldn't expect you to." She secured her spear and extended her hand. "Common cause, then."

"So it seems." He took her hand, shook it firmly. "We're in route to the location where the l'Cie were last reported. You'd best be prepared for a fight."

"Don't worry. I will be."

Cid laughed. "I have no doubt." He turned to the nearest soldier. "Lead her to her new cabin," he said. "We have a few hours, and I would have her rested."

"Sir!" the man said, and turned away immediately, walking a little too quickly. Fang couldn't help but smile as she followed him.

So, the man she was following was a believer, eh? Fang couldn't quite understand that; she'd always been a pragmatist, unwilling to disbelieve what she saw with her own eyes in the name of faith to something she couldn't see or understand. It had often been a point of contention with other villagers, including Vanille. But she just couldn't ignore what she saw every day, with her own eyes, and think that praying would make it go away.

Still, the fact that he had that faith meant something. It meant that he was doing this for the right reasons. He wasn't just another upstart, after his own personal glory; he really cared about the people of this place. She'd heard that sincerity in his voice, as clear as day; it was hard for anyone to be anything but sincere when he knew he was staring death in the face. So yes, she'd follow him. And maybe help him, once they found Vanille, and the other poor bastards who'd been dragged into this.

Following a man who was willing to die for a cause wasn't the worst choice she'd ever made, after all. He had resolve that she didn't, anyway; she wasn't sure she'd have it in her to sacrifice her life, if she was in the same situation. Maybe she had something to learn from him after all.


End file.
